eBay antics

A quick glance around the Net today has revealed three interesting stories about internet auction site eBay.

In the first of these, parents of toddler Jack Neal were shocked to discover recently that the three year old nipper had bought a car on eBay! Little Jack logged onto his parents' computer, on which his mother's eBay password was stored, and proceeded to buy a bright pink Nissan Figaro with one litre turbo-charged engine. Luckily for Jack's parents, when they contacted the seller of the car, he saw the funny side of it and said he would re-advertise. Now there’s a clever young lad I am sure will grow up to read Techspot.com.

Meanwhile, a woman from Brisbane who defrauded hundreds of eBay customers by selling items she did not ever send has been put on probation for a period of three years. Shenelle Marie Crozman profited more than $8,800 from 322 fake transactions in which she listed items for sale on the eBay auction website that she had no intention whatsoever of sending. Interestingly enough, it has emerged that even when eBay closed Shenelle's account, she simply set up new ones using fake names and started up all over again. Along with her three years' probation, she'll be doing 150 hours community service, and will have to pay restitution to her victims.

And finally, aficionados of Irish band U2 have been irritated to discover that books signed by the band in an event restricted to just 250 fans have gone on sale on eBay. Just hours after the event the books began to appear on the auctioning site, causing outrage. Seemingly, angry fans and other music lovers have flocked to the band's website since the event, protesting at the situation.

"Any true fan would give their right arm to go to an event like this. For a real fan to lose out on the chance so someone can make a profit is outrageous and selfish. If Bono and the others knew about this they'd be sickened. I'll never buy anything off eBay again," said one fan.